The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative
Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other
shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org.
October 17, 2011

Tens of Thousands Gather in Washington, D.C. For Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Dedication 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Tens of thousands gathered on Sunday for a dedication of the new Rev.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Speakers include members of the King family, veterans of the civil
rights movement and President Obama.

President Barack Obama: “It is right for us to celebrate Dr. King’s
marvelous oratory, but it is worth remembering that progress did not
come from words alone. Progress was hard. Progress was purchased through
enduring the smack of billy clubs and the blast of fire hoses. It was
bought with days in jail cells and nights of bomb threats. For every
victory during the height of the civil rights movement, there were
setbacks and there were defeats.”

President Obama also referred to the Occupy Wall Street protests during
his speech at the MLK National Monument.

President Barack Obama: "If he were alive to day I believe he would
remind us that the unemployed worker can rightly challenge the excesses
of Wall Street without demonizing all who work there. That the
businessman can enter tough negations with his companies union without
vilifying the right to collectively bargain. He would want us to know
that we can argue fiercely about the proper role and size of government
without questioning each others love for this country. With the
knowledge that within this democracy, government is not distant object,
but an expression of our common commitments to one another."

The dedication ceremony was originally scheduled for Aug. 28, the 48th
anniversary of King's "I have a dream" speech in Washington,D.C., but
was delayed because of Hurricane Irene.



.